Closing device



May 22, 1934. J PATTERSON 1,959,384

CLOSING DEVICE Filed Jan. 26, 1932 @mea'MFaI/ferawrz INVENTORS ATTOR N EY Patented May 22, 1934 CLOSING DEVICE James M. Patterson, 'Solsberry, Ind.

Application January 26,

1932, Serial No. 589,011

SiCIaims. (01. 217-57) This invention relates to closing devices -for shipping crates, containers, coops or the like, for poultry, live stock, etc., and its-general object 1 is toprovide aclosing device in the form of a pair of cooperating doors, that are normally vheldin closed .position and are urged accordingly by spring means, and :includes latching -means for holding theudoors inopen position, the latching means being arranged'in the path ofthe doors '10 when opened, to be-engaged thereby to automatically actuate the same to=retain the-doors open, butimust be manually actuated to release the doors for allowing them to close.

A further object of the invention is to provide '15 spring-pressed'doorsfor a-single door opening in a:container,-=the doors being arranged and cooperating with each-other whereby poultry, live stock and the like :can be passed. through the 'opening merely by applying pressure upon the g0 doors, :the pressure causing the 'doors to swing open, and they automatically close when the pressure is relieved.

Another object of the invention is to provide a closingrmeans ofthe character set forth, that is simple in construction, easily applicable to various types of containers, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely efiicient in operation and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of a crate showing the application of my closing means thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the closing means.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 33 of Figure '1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 4-4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken approximate- 1y on line 5-5 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral 1 indicates a poultry shipping crate or coop of the usual construction and includes .555 the usual intermediate longitudinal extending strips 2, which have rpassed therethrough the usual transverse rounds 3, some of which terminate at :the strips 2 'to provide a door opening which as --shown :is closed "by; my closing device, and while I have illustrated -m-y closing-device associatedwith a shipping: crate or coop-I want it understood that it can be used with any typeof container without departing i from the espirit of the invention.

The closing :device includes a pair of angle members '4 ?formed from rmetal I and these angle members are disposedupon opposite sides of the opening and: have their ends securedto thestrips Qaabestshown-in Figure 2. Bridging the angle members and having their -errds- 5.journaled in the vertical portions of the anglecmembers, are substantially .Ushaped frames, the *eI-ldS 5 of which'act in'the'capacity. of hinge'means for doors 6, and areberit at right angles with respectto the arms 7 oftheframesas bestsshown in-Figure .2. The: doors are formed-from sheet" metal and have'their outerlongitudinal edges rolledto; pro- :vide reinforcingbeadst.

The-remaining-edges of the: doors 6 arelikewise rolled to provide side and inner 'barrelstoreeeive the arms '7 and the bight portions '7' of the frames, and the arms 7 extend through the side barrels, while the bight portions 7 extend through the inner barrels, as best shown in Figure 2.

Surrounding the right angled bent ends 5 of the frames, are coil springs 9 that have their ends engaging the strips 2 and the doors 6, so that the latter are spring pressed as will be apparent and normally held in closed position against the horizontal portions of the angle members 4, the latter acting as stop means for the doors which open into the container, as will be noted upon inspection of Figure 1.

I provide a latching means for holding the doors in open position, and this latching means i includes a pair of strands of resilient wire 10 having one of their ends bent in hook formation and secured to the vertical portion of one of the angle members 4. through the instrumentality of rivets or the like 11. The free ends of the strands of wire extend beyond the ends of the vertical portion of the last mentioned angle member and are provided with eyes 12 which are received in eyes formed with one of the ends of strands of resilient wire 13.

The last mentioned ends of the strands 13 are bent in V-shaped configuration as at 14, while the remaining portions of the strands 13 are fixed in barrels 15 formed with the lower edge of the vertical portion of the last mentioned angle memher. The V-shaped portions of'the strands 13 are arranged in the path of the doors 6 when the latter are disposed to open position, and it will be obvious that the doors engage the ,V-shaped portions which act in the'capacity as cams, and move the latter against the tension of the strands of wire 10 until the doors pass the apex of the V- shape portions, at which time the strands 10 will move the V-shape portions to their normalposition so that they will hold the doors open,

A flexible member 16 has its ends secured to the eyes 12 so that when it is desired to close the doors from their held open position, the flexible member is pulled and such action will move the strands 10 simultaneously to move the V-shape portions 14 accordingly out of the path of the doors, to allow the latter to be closed by the coil springs 9.

From the above description and disclosure of the drawing, it will be obvious that I have provided a closing means for containers, that are normally held in closed position and opens within the container, so that slight pressure upon the doors will open them and when the pressure is relieved they'automatically close. However, when it is desired to have the doors remain open, they are moved to be received by the latching means as previously described.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of theappended claims. Y

What I claim is:

l. A closing device for the door opening of a poultry coop, comprising a pair of spring pressed doors mounted to open within the coop, means for hingedly securing the doors in spaced aligned relation with respect to each other, means receiving the hinge means, and means formed with the hinge receiving means and disposed in the path of the doors to act as a stop means therefor to hold them closed.

2. A closing device for the door opening of a poultry coop, comprising a pair of angle members arranged upon opposite sides of the opening, substantially U-shaped frames having ends pivotally mounted in the angle members, a spring pressed door secured to and carried by each frame, and the doors being movable toward and away from 'each other, and said angle members providing stops .to receive the said doors when disposed to closed position.

3. A closing device for the door opening of a poultry coop, comprising a pair of angle members arranged upon opposite sides of the opening,

frames having ends journaled in the vertical portions of the angle members, doors secured to and carried by said frames, coil springs surrounding said ends and the ends of the coil springs engaging the angle members and doors respectively for putting the doors under tension whereby to urge and hold them in closed position, said angle members providing stops for the doors when arranged to closed position, and latching means for holding the doors in open position.

4. A closing device for the door opening of a container, comprising a pair of spring pressed doors, means for receiving the doors to act as a stop means for holding the same in closed position, latching means for holding the doors in open position, and including spring pressed cams arranged in the path of the doors, and means secured to the latching means for simultaneously moving the cams out of the path of the doors to allow the latter to close in unison.

" 5. A closing device for the door opening of a poultry coop, comprising a pair of spring pressed doors including substantially U-shaped wire frames mounted whereby the doors open within the coop, stop means arranged in the path of the ends of the doors to retain the latter in closed position, and latching means arranged in the path ofone of the ends of said doors to retain them in open position.

JAMES M. PATTERSON. 

